Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponhl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponhl’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; recurved and rugose dark green-colored leaves; ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved and rugose dark red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPONHL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkponhl’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create uniform Poinsettia plants that haverecurved dark red-colored flower bracts, low temperature tolerance andgood postproduction longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in December, 2006 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber 204132-026, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber 204156-005, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPoinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands inDecember, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands since June, 2008 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bkponhl’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bkponhl’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Recurved and rugose dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved and rugose dark        red-colored flower bracts.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have recurved dark red-colored        flower bracts whereas plants of the female parent selection have        flat light red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in branching habit as plants of thenew Poinsettia are more freely branching than plants of the male parentselection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Winrose’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,904.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands,plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Winrose’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were faster-growing than plants        of ‘Winrose’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger than plants of        ‘Winrose’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Winrose’.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger leaves than plants of        ‘Winrose’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Bkponhl’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Bkponhl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the winter in 13-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C., nighttemperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 200 Watts/m².Plants were pinched one time and were 18 weeks old when the photographsand the detailed description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Bkponhl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 204132-026, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number            204156-005, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at 22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness to thick, fibrous;            white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded plant            habit; narrow inverted triangle with rounded crown;            ball-shaped inflorescences positioned above the foliar            plane; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 23 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit, about four lateral branches develop after            pinching. Length: About 15 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: Thick,            about 5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: Mostly upright. Color:            Close to 144A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 7 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Shape:            Roughly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse to slightly            cordate. Margin: Entire, shallowly lobed. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous;            rugose. Aspect: Recurved. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to 139B. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 141D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 139A; venation, close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to 141C; venation, close to 139C.            Petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm to 1.8 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 183B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Ball-shaped inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with rugose and recurved dark            red- colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia; one            inflorescence per lateral branch with inflorescences            positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the            winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence            initiation and development can be induced under artificial            long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response            time is about seven to eight weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about six to seven weeks under            interior conditions; flower bracts persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm to 8 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About ten to            twelve. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Obtuse to cordate.            Margin: Entire. Venation: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface:            Glabrous; rugose. Aspect: Recurved. Color: Developing and            fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 47B;            venation, close to 47A; color does not fade with            development. Developing and fully expanded bracts, lower            surface: Close to 47C; venation, close to 47B; color does            not fade with development. Bract petiole: Length: About            5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            53C. Color, lower surface: Close to 139D and 53D.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About six to eight. Length:            About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color:            Developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A. Fully            developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144B.            Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: Typically one. Length:            About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Color:            Developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 150B. Fully            developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 13A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: Mostly            upright. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            six to eight. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:            Close to 185B. Anther shape: Oval, bi-lobed. Anther length:            About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 187C. Amount of pollen:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 15B. Pistils: Quantity per            cyathium: Typically one. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style            length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 46B. Stigma shape:            Six-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 46B. Ovary color: Close to            143A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production has not            been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about    35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponhl’ asillustrated and described.